[NLA] David's model and teacher certification

Fri Jun 28 02:24:27 EDT 2002

For info on college credit for life experience I strongly suggest you go immediately
to the "Regents College" (formally The Univ of the State of NY, and now Excelsior
College) at www.regents.edu, do not pass GO, do not collect $200.  I started college
at age 36 via CLEP tests and life experience analysis at Regents that got me an AA
fairly quick.  They go beyond that now all the way to masters level with on-line
courses.

art

Art LaChance
Gilmer Learning Center
Ellijay, GA

Carey Reid wrote:

> Margaret,
>
> The degree requirement was heavily discussed by all stakeholder groups
> advising on or crafting the Massachusetts ABE teacher's license.  Those
> who wanted to allow access (and they were many) to the license for good
> teachers without degrees raised many of the points that you do.  Those
> stakeholders who stressed the need for a degree (and they were many)
> pointed out that the credibility of the new degree might suffer in
> comparison to other educator's degrees in Massachusetts if a college
> degree were not a baseline requirement.  An example often raised was
> that in those work environments where a state license of some kind is
> required--corrections institutions, school districts--employers might
> conclude that a license without a degree requirement would not be
> acceptable.  In our state, that would mean that hundreds of adult
> literacy teachers could not use the ABE license to satisfy a basic
> employment requirement.  In the end, the access need was somewhat
> accommodated by the finally approved regulation that allows the ABE
> license candidate to possess either a bachelor's or a master's degree.
> (The preK-12 requirement stipulates only bachelor's.)  The thinking is
> that non-degree candidates can take advantage of accelerated master's
> degree programs that jump over the bachelor's level and go right into
> the master's; typically, these programs give broad credit for job and
> life experience.
>
> SABES, funded by MassDOE, is now exploring ways to scaffold non-degreed
> teachers into degree programs that can work for them.  We wants to know
> about good, accredited degree programs that give credit for life/work
> experiences, with low or at least reasonable tuition costs, and (if not
> in Massachusetts) equipped for distance learning.  Please let me know if
> you know of something.
>
> Thank you,
>
> Carey Reid
> ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
> Think before you print:  Do I NEED to print this out?
> ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
> SABES Central Resource Center
> World Education, Inc.
> 44 Farnsworth Street
> Boston, MA  02215
> 617-482-9485
> 617-482-0617 (FAX)
>
> >>> DoughtyHRC at aol.com 6/27/02 8:42:58 AM >>>
> I want to share you to a concern that I believe will severely impact
> the
> successful operation of community-based adult literacy programs in the
> state.
>   The Texas Education Agency Adult Education Division has determined
> that
> non-degreed staff may not teach in adult education classes.  This
> implies
> that degreed staff perform better than non-degreed staff and that
> non-degreed
> staff perform poorly.
>
> Where is the evidence-based research that has been undertaken to show
> that
> degreed staff out-perform staff with years of experience and intense
> focused
> staff development.  As far as I can tell there is no evidence of any.
>
> The Workforce Investment Act that flows the Adult Education federal
> funds to
> Texas allows the state to issue waivers so that well-qualified but
> non-degreed staff performing successfully may teach adult education
> classes.
>  This allows programs, especially community-based programs, to stretch
> adult
> education dollars further and serve more clients.   Waivers have been
> permitted in the past but the state adult education director will not
> now
> permit their use.   If there are no waivers the following will take
> place:
>
> * Many excellent instructors may be lost
> * degreed staff paid $14 - $20 an hour will replace some current staff
> paid
> at $8 - $14 an hour
> * fewer staff will be hired
> * fewer learners will be served
> * with 75% of current learners in many programs enrolled in ESL classes
> this
> will impact the Hispanic population most severely
>
> CBO's support the use of qualified, non-degreed staff and support
> continual
> improvement and staff development.   The CBO's across the state with
> whom I
> have worked engage in targeted staff development to enable instructors
> to
> meet learner goals as quickly and efficiently as possible.   What would
> make
> sense in terms of program improvement for literacy providers is not to
>
> indiscriminately cut non-degreed staff, but to:
>
> 1. provide a credit system where staff development could lead
> incrementally
> to a degree in the literacy field;
> 2. research teaching improvements made by such training before cutting
>
> teachers who are clearly doing a good job in a very staff-challenged
> field.
>
> (It makes no sense to hire a person with a geology degree over a
> seasoned ESL
> teacher, who shows great competence in teaching English to immigrants,
>
> reflects the background of the learners and consistently moves students
> to
> the next level.)
>
> In a time of budget cuts cost effectiveness must play a part in
> decision-making. CBO's struggle to raise funds, especially in times
> when
> dollars are scarce.  To hire better 'paper qualified' staff at the
> expense of
> 'experience qualified' staff is costly.   It is a mistake to think that
>
> paying less for staffing implies a less able staff.   It signifies that
> the
> experience, passion and dedication that adult literacy instructors
> bring to
> their work has little value in the eyes of the state adult education
> system.
>
> The Workforce Investment Act is to be reauthorized next.   Already
> review is
> underway for improvement in the law.   The Texas Education Agency
> should be
> prevented from removing the waiver until:
>
> 1. The agency has undertaken research to show whether degreed staff
> out-perform non-degreed staff and whether non-degreed staff perform
> adequately.
> 2. The WIA reauthorization activities have been completed so that
> changes
> will be made with a thorough grasp of all the implications under the
> new
> federal legislation.
>
> This current action from TEA will deny services to thousands of
> learners at a
> time when the state is trying to increase enrollment and provide the
> framework for decision making based on research.
>
> At this moment teachers have been alerted that they may not have a job
> whent
> he new fiscal year begins next month.
>
> Margaret Doughty
>
> _______________________________________________
> NLA mailing list: NLA at lists.literacytent.org
> http://lists.literacytent.org/mailman/listinfo/nla
> LiteracyTent: web hosting, news, community and goodies for literacy
> http://literacytent.org
> _______________________________________________
> NLA mailing list: NLA at lists.literacytent.org
> http://lists.literacytent.org/mailman/listinfo/nla
> LiteracyTent: web hosting, news, community and goodies for literacy
> http://literacytent.org

_______________________________________________
NLA mailing list: NLA at lists.literacytent.org
http://lists.literacytent.org/mailman/listinfo/nla
LiteracyTent: web hosting, news, community and goodies for literacy
http://literacytent.org